Quote:
Originally Posted by keith.rogers
Probably not a lot of help - just some thoughts...
I'm more of a flatpicker and have a JJB in my one OM and chose the Anthem for the other. The JJB is very much like a K&K, and if you like that sound, well, definitely consider it, but I hear a lot more "quack" or piezo-ish sound from K&Ks (was just playing though one in a friend's D-35 last week) or JJB, which is why I just installed the Anthem in my newer (pickup-less) OM. It's not a UST, but it's there, and I think flatpicking brings out more of it.
K&K (and JJB) pickups have plenty of output and don't require a preamp, but having something with some tone controls will definitely help. (I've used my GigPro with my JJB and it's a nice improvement, as well as giving me a volume control I can reach if I want.)
On the other hand, a friend I play with occasionally at open mics prefers my JJB equipped guitar over his (nice Taylor) with a UST (Matrix Inifinity VT - installed when his ES1 crapped out).
I can't speak to the SL version specifically but the Anthem has a way to adjust the mic output vs. the UST and that seems to give me a good range of control over the balance between them. Lacking that adjustment I suspect the SL will depend on the guitar and installation whether you find it an improvement of a straight UST. (K&K, well any SBT, output is installation dependent, too, FWIW.)
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So you hear more piezo tone with the K&K/JJB than with the Anthem? Interesting! I agree that with flatpicking, piezo tone can come out but I tend to find it shows itself more with the Anthem, even with the blend all the way to the tru-mic. I think it's that Element tone, which is quite distinct.